Carrying a ladder. No r/rack

Gen.Zhukov

I've mooched a 2 pce ladder and I need to collect it but have no roof rack.
I've an old Passat and while it's a great car mech, the body is a bit rough and another scratch wouldn't bother me.

I can either try to secure it to roof and have padding at the 2 contact points or...

with back seat down I would have about 2.5 mtrs hanging out the back. Is that too much hanging out ?

What do you think. Am I mad or what. Anyone done it ?

jsd1004

Ladder should be fine. Personally i would not risk damaging the ladder. Better to check with your insurance company.

aidanki

if the ladder is light and road is quite enough and havent too far to go, get someone sit in passenger seat and balance ladder on wing mirror, get your passenger to hold the ladder, done it a few times

OldmanMondeo

Never mind the damage that can be done to your car, think of the damage that would be done to others if it where to come loose and leave the car while driving. Can you drop the back seat and lie the passenger seat down and out the boot, would that make it shorter? If you need to put it on the roof, tie it down at front and back of the car and a rope through the back windows, don't put it through the doors as it might cut when you close the doors. Remember to put a "flag" off the back to warn people behind you. Try not move it in the dark.

Prenderb

I wouldn't do it that way. Imagine the swing of 2.5m behind you as you turn around a corner and it gets caught on another vehicle, a pedestrian or motorcyclist who isn't expecting it?

mayota

Out the sunroof if you have one.

Gen.Zhukov

Thanks for the comments folks.
Yeah, I'm not overly keen on the 2.5m hanging out the back. I'd be doing about 2/3 of the M50 with it. Of course I would have lots of flags tied on. Passenger seat won't go flat, that would have been ideal. Passenger holding it is a no go. Travelling solo.

I'm beginning to think of other options. The one I'm liking is:-
Cut each ladder section in half. It's now a 4 pce. Get some Alu box section smaller than the Alu box sec of the ladder and rebuild it back into a 2 pce bolting each section together.

I'm handy enough with metalwork/eng so no problem there.

sdanseo

All of the attempted solutions to this using your own car that have been described are either dangerous or pointless.

Find someone with the correct vehicle to transport the ladder for you and pay them if you have to. Save you a mountain of nonsense should you be stopped - or worse kill someone.

alan partridge aha

Gen.Zhukov wrote: »

Thanks for the comments folks.
Yeah, I'm not overly keen on the 2.5m hanging out the back. I'd be doing about 2/3 of the M50 with it. Of course I would have lots of flags tied on. Passenger seat won't go flat, that would have been ideal. Passenger holding it is a no go. Travelling solo.

I'm beginning to think of other options. The one I'm liking is:-
Cut each ladder section in half. It's now a 4 pce. Get some Alu box section smaller than the Alu box sec of the ladder and rebuild it back into a 2 pce bolting each section together.

I'm handy enough with metalwork/eng so no problem there.

Crazy idea, get another vehicle to transport it.

Gen.Zhukov

alan partridge aha wrote: »

Crazy idea, get another vehicle to transport it.

It's a brilliant idea. Can now be stored easily. Can now be transported anywhere in anything. It will actually be a usp if selling. Pure genius !

alan partridge aha

Grand so you're sorted, time to close the thread.

biko

Gen.Zhukov wrote: »

I can either try to secure it to roof and have padding at the 2 contact points or...

This.

Do you have cargo straps?

corks finest

Gen.Zhukov wrote: »

I've mooched a 2 pce ladder and I need to collect it but have no roof rack.
I've an old Passat and while it's a great car mech, the body is a bit rough and another scratch wouldn't bother me.

I can either try to secure it to roof and have padding at the 2 contact points or...

with back seat down I would have about 2.5 mtrs hanging out the back. Is that too much hanging out ?

What do you think. Am I mad or what. Anyone done it ?

Get a buddy to transport it,buy a rack,you will use it(halfords,i use the same one,with adjustment on last 3 cars)if it falls off,youll damage yours,and potentially damage others,so be careful

Gen.Zhukov

Thanks again for the inputs.

I've pretty much tried all the above suggestions- mates, borrowing a car with rack for an hour etc.

biko, yeah I'm sure I can get some straps. I take it- run through the windows ?

If I find a rack that would go on other cars too as well as the vw that's a good option. I thought I looked at that before and drew a blank. Will look again. It would have to be somewhat universal as the vw may not be around for long.

I'm always very safety conscious and would never try to carry something that wasn't secured properly or dangerous in any way.

colm_mcm

Take the front passenger seat out,

Gen.Zhukov

colm_mcm wrote: »

Take the front passenger seat out,

What about the sip bag. Does that not make it tricky ?

C0N0R

I used to sell ladders and drove a Passat, I was able to get one in the boot that was inside the whole length of the car and was touching the windscreen, leaving only a small amount hanging out the back.